Vacuum-controlled shock-absorbing device



1,618,036 A. A. WILSON ET AL VACUUM CONTROLLED SHOCK ABSORBING DEVICE Filed Aug. 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ven "fa/ 5:

WLlson. D; Robertson.

%WMW Feb. 15, 1927.

1,618,036 A. A. WILSON ET AL V VACUUM CONTROLLED SHOCK ABSORBING DEVICE Filed Aug. 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In ven tors:

4/1 Wilson.

.Rober-tson. -59 4/ MW Patented Feb. 15, 1927.

Pics;

ALBERT A. wILsoN'ANn ALExANnnR n. RoBER'rson, or MI N APOLIS, MINNESOTA.

VACUUM-CONTROLTIED SHQCK ABSOBBING DEVICE.

Application filed August 2,1926. Serial No. 12;;(371.

. Our invention relates to vacuum con trolled shock-absorbing devices. It is welli known that when automobiles which are be;

ing driven strike'bumps and depressions in the highway; the upward movement'of the vehicle springs unless restrained causes a rebound which not only shakes up the oc-' cupants of the automobile, but which sometimes cause breakage of the springs. Before the time of our invention, inorder to prevent the rebound, it has been cutomary to employ auxiliary springs and shock absorbers of the. friction type, and also the plunger type. An object of our invention is to provide a shock absorber which depends for its action upon the vacuum produced by the suction of the engine while running. l/Vhen this vacuum is on due ,to the running of the engine, the vehicle springs are placed under tension. When the engine is not running, tension on the vehicle springs and shock absorber connections is relieved. Another object is to provide a shock absorbing device, the tensioning effect of which is equalized for all four wheels of the vehicle. Another object is to provide means readily accessible to the driver and by which the tensioning action on the springs may be eliminated wheneverdesired so that the vehicle springs will then function the same as though no shock absorbing device were present.

The full objects and advantages of our invention will appear in connection 'with the detailed description thereof, and the novel features of our inventive idea' will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form in which our invention may be embodied,

Fig. 1 is a to plan view of anautomobile showing our evice' applied thereto. Fig. 2 is 'a view on an enlarged scale in's'ection on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and showing the main portion of our device inside elevation. F g. 3 is a View of .the mam portion of the device in central longitudinal section. Fig.

4 is a detail view illustrating the manner in which the device may be connected with the intake manifold of the engine.

It will be understood by referring to the drawings that we: provide one or more cylinders 10. In. the particular embodiment shown, there are two of these cylinders se-- e F one on each side of 'b the automobile w ich in the type chosen cured to the fr manifold I of the engine E.

for illustrative purposes has transverse springs-S. The cylinder 10 is substantially closed by rear and front heads 12 and -14 which are provided with air vents 16. 9 lVorking in the cylinder are rear and front pistons 18 and 20 spaced from each other to provide a chamber 22 ada ted to be subjected to vacuum in a man er whichwill presently be described. .Between the 18 and the'head 12 of the cylinder, there is an air chamber '24 while'between the piston- 3 20 and the head 1 f the cylinder, there is an air chamber 26. 'A rod 28 secured to the .piston 18 extends slidably through the head 7o 12 whilea rod 30 secured to'the piston 20 ex tends slidably' through the head 14. Cables 32 and 34 are secured respectively to the rods 28 and 30. These cables pass over sl1eaves36 and 38 and attheir outerends are secured respectively in suitable manner to the rear axle case A and the front axle case A. As shown in Fig. 2,'these cable ends are secured to divided rings 40 which are clamped around the axle case. The rods 28 and 30 between the pistons and the heads of the cylinder are surrounded respectively by coiled springs 42 and 44, the purpose of which is to take up slack in the cables a'rticularly when the automobile is stan 1ng.

The cylinder is. connected by a pipe line with the intake manifold I' of the engine. In the embodiment shown having two CV1 inders, the middle. portions of the cylinders, Y

The. valve casing 50 containsa valve seat 52 with which is adapted tov cooperate a .needle valve 54 having ahand wheel 56;

by which it may be turned for regulating purposes. The valve casing beyond the seat 52 is connected by a pipe 58' with the intake The operation and advantages ofour-invention will be readily understood in connection with the foregoing description. The device may be readily installed inautomobiles already in use or may be providedas part of 0 -the standard equipment when the automobiles are built. It will be understood by reference to Fig, 3 that the chamber 22 will be subjected to vacuum when the engine-is run ning and that this will cause the pistons to 1 e drawn inwardly'in the cylinder, thereby causing a pull to be. exerted. on the cables so piston 65 that the vehicle. springs will be pulled downwardly and placed under tension. When.

the wheelsstrike a bump or depression, upward movement of the springs is resisted both on account of the vacuum in the chamber 22 and-the air in the chambers 24 and 26.

It will be understood that'when the pistons move inwardly, air is drawn into the air tion',

chambers through the openings 16 and when the pistons move outwardly, air is forced out through the openings 16 slowly, so that a'cushioning effect is obtained which checks the rebound. When the engine is not running, there is no vacuum in the chamber 22 and the pistons return to neutral position under the influence of the tension to which the -vehicle springswere subjected. J When the automobile. is traveling over smooth pavement, the driver may not wish to main- .tain the vehicle springs under tension since the desirability of providing the shock absorbing action is not then present and it may be considered preferable to have'the vehicle springs operate without restraint.

1. lln combination with the internal com- -bustion engine of an automobile, a movable member carried by the automobile and directly responsive to suction produced in the cylinder,

engine cylinders, said movable member for causing a shock absorbing action.

2. lln combination with the internalcombustion'engine of an automobile,'a movable member mounted on the frame of the automobile andv directly. responsive to suction produced in the engine cylinders, and a flexible connection between said movable member and the axle of the automobile.

3. ln 'COIYIblIIHtlOILWitlI the internal combustion engine of an automobile, a cylinder mounted on the automobile, a piston in said a pipe connection between said cylinder and the intake ofthe engine whereby said piston 18 subjected to suction produced in the engine cvlinders, and a device con: nectedwith saic piston for causing, a shock absorbing action. v I 4. In combination with the internal combustion engine of an automobile. a c'vlinder and the.

and a deviceconnected with mounted on the frame OftllBjitUtOIDObilfi, a piston in said cylinder, a pipe connectio'n'between said cylinder and the intake of the engine whereby, said piston is subjected to suctionvproduced in the engine cylinders, and 65 a fiexibleconnection between said piston and the axle of the automobile.

5. A shock absorbing device for automobiles comprising a movable member adapted to be subjected to suction occurring in' the 7 intake'of the engine, means connected with said member for causing a shock absorbing take.

It will be actibn, and means within reach of the driver for closing the communication with said in- 6. A shock absorbing device for automobiles comprising a cylinder mounted on theautomobile, a piston in said cylinder having a vented air chamber on one side thereof, a spring tending to urge said piston inwardly in saidcylinder to thereby'enlarge said air chamber, and a device connected with said piston for causing-a shock absorbing action.

7. In combination with the internalconr bustion engine of an automobile, a movable member carried by the automobile and adapted to be moved by power derived from the engine, and a device connected with said movable member for causing a shock absorb-,

ing action.

8. In combination with the internal coinbustion engine of an automobile, a cylinder mounted on the automobile, a piston in said cylinder having-a vacuum chamber on one side thereof and a ventedair chamber on the other sidethereof, a pipe connection between said vacuum chamber and the intake of the engine whereby said piston is subjected to suction to draw air into said air chamber,

and a device connected with said piston 1-00 for causing ashock absorbing action.

9. In combination with the internal combustion engine of an :automobile, a cylinder mounted on the automobile, two pist'ousin said cylinder having a vacuum chamber 'be- 1 tween them and vented air chambers on the outer sides thereof, a pipe connection between said vacuum chamber and the intake of the-engine whereby said pistonsare subjected to. suction to draw air into said air 1 chambers, connections between one: of said pistons and the rear axle of the automobile, and connections between the other of said pistons and the front axle of the automobile f said connections causing a shock absorbing actiom. i i I In testimony wvhereo'f we hereunto afiix our signatures.

ALBERT A. WILSON. ALEXANDER D. ROBERTSON. 

